Artistic rendering courtesy of The Wingnuterer
Back from the Rock tonight after the Liberal caucus meeting. Can’t help but compare it in my mind to the last summer caucus I attended a year ago. That one was in eastern Ontario, and it was Stephen Harper in the room, with me a Conservative.
The contrasts abound. Last summer Mr. Harper chose to sit up on a stage overlooking his colleagues. This morning Stephane Dion chose to sit among them. Beside me, actually. Last year the summer Tory caucus began a process aimed at knocking me out of the nomination in my riding, as the PMO backed a televangelist’s crusade in Halton. This week I worked with my team on economic policy, communications strategy and citizen involvement. I signed up MPs for my coming tax policy conference on the Hill and gave top party officials some advice they were seeking.
Last summer I sat silently in the Conservatives’ national caucus meeting, because silence was expected. Yesterday I was on my feet promoting income-splitting and digital democracy, because I am now in an environment of ideas and possibilities. No intimidation or fear. I can do my job as an MP. Finally.
* * *
The elimination of a complete shift, and with it 1,200 jobs, at GM’s Oshawa truck plant is big news. And not just for Ontario.
Sales of pickup trucks are solid in Canada, buoyed in particular by demand from Alberta. But the 16% increase in domestic sales means nothing, since the bulk of the cars and trucks made in this country are sold south of the border. There, things are coming off the rails.
The real estate market collapse, which led to the credit crunch, which is now making it harder for people to get mortgages and car loans, has nailed truck sales. With new home construction at the worst level in a decade, demand for pickups has sagged by 20%. With no improvement in sight, twelve hundred guys in Oshawa who make those trucks are now without work, too.
This is just one tip of the economic berg moving in this direction. Smug Canadians who think our real estate market is immune or that a recession in the States, which buys 70% of everything we ship, are due for a surprise. Our 16-year-long economic upcycle cannot last indefinitely, and I have written several articles here lately articulating the reasons America is now a hulking danger.
I spent a good chunk of the last two days trying to raise awareness of this among my colleagues, as did John McCallum. We seem to be of the same mind on this danger. There are storm clouds, and we have a finance minister who seems totally out of touch.
Last Spring I warned that this was not the time for our government to raise spending to historic levels, to fuel inflation, goosing the dollar and hurting exports or to create the conditions for higher mortgage rates and downward pressure on real estate. But, natch, Mr. Flaherty ignored me and others saying such things.
The job cuts announced this week are the worst kind. High-paying, career-oriented, high technology and high-skilled manufacturing positions, which could be a long time – if ever – being replaced. Sad if it’s just the start of something. Sadder still that the damage has been amplified by ministerial incompetence.
Many of the GM guys are Flaherty constituents. I hope he has the guts to have a Town Hall and be accountable.
* * *
Speaking of such, I’m back on the road in a couple of days, this time forsaking the Newfoundland way for the West. I hear some old guy on CJOB trashed me today just for being myself, and having the audacity to visit Winnipeg on Tuesday. And last week that rabid rant DJ in Calgary tried his best to carpetbomb my rep, even hinting broadly that I may have been unethical when last a part of the financial services biz.
In fact, the pre-visit spleen that’s been unleashed in some places is quite amazing to behold. I even heard today that members of the Harper Conservative leadership have just ‘warned’ Dion’s people that I am not to be trusted, and impossible to work with. If they choose to believe that, then I guess I’ll stay a no-title, garden variety backbench MP.
Hey, come to think of it, that’s all I ever wanted to be. They may not get that in Ottawa. But I’m sure they’ll eat me up in Edmonton.
128 comments ↓
You belong in Dion’s shadow cabinet … fer sure.
Perhaps we could kick some ideas around about what’s feasible that’s helpful.
Background: Our little company is an export yacht building company based in Ontario. When the dollar climbed, we tightened out belts and survived. We’re too small to get subsidies and I’m in two minds whether that direction is warranted for any type of commercial enterprise. If we didn’t have a product that appealed to buyers, we would have gone under. That’s not the case with the Big 3–they have a faulty product. Shovelling more taxpayer’s money at it cures nothing. Large manufacturers receive incredible tax incentives.
http://www.ontariocanada.com/ontcan/page.do?page=5968
What realistically is feasible that saves Canada’s manufacturing base without wasting financial resources?
. . . I hope he has the guts to have a Town Hall and be accountable.
NOT BLOODY LIKELY! The CRAP are running scared now — looks really good on them.
Osama bin Laden has a much better chance of being elected the next US President than Wham Bam Flim Flam Wotisname has of holding a TH and being held accountable.
Besides, bin Laden has been a little bit dead for a few years now (stuff happens), due to kidney failure but he is good to resurrect when dubya and big dik need another al-quada (nudge nudge wink wink!) terrorist attack.
* * *
. . . I hear some old guy on CJOB trashed me today just for being myself, and having the audacity to visit Winnipeg on Tuesday. . . . that rabid rant DJ in Calgary tried his best to carpetbomb my rep, even hinting broadly that I may have been unethical when last a part of the financial services biz.
At least you’re getting free publicity! It is clear that the trolltoys in toryville are taking Dion et al seriously.
Nothing like stirring the shit up, then seeing how the wheat separates from the chaff!
I realize that politics is a dirty business and the winner (under the first past the post system) takes all, so put your message forth and let the public decide once and for all.
Mind sharing a little of what you told them about digital democracy?
By the way, I do believe the US economy will tank.
When it does, Canada should buy a 20% interest in the Bank of Canada. Having a minority interest would allow Canada to give itself interest free loans for infrastructure and vital societal programmes without interferring with the private sector who now own it. Those interest free loans would need to be carefully monitored. 20%, held as a block, could ensure the shares wouldn’t get voted away and give it a ‘real’ voice in whom the President of it is.
Background:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_of_Canada
Many of the GM guys are Flaherty constituents. I hope he has the guts to have a Town Hall and be accountable.
posted by Garth Turner on 08.30.07 @ 10:51 pm
Oh my god Garth, are you serious? You expect Jim to have any balls, much less backbone to make himself accountable for this? Yeah right.
I was thinking of this as I was going to work tonight and I have my suspicions that the mortgage problem down south will only get worse. While Alberta is doing great economically, albeit barely in my honest opinion, I know one province cannot carry all the others.
Hmm, I wonder if it was Sterling Fox on CHQR or one of his ‘colleagues’ that is foaming at the mouth. My redneck calling only seems to ringing louder than before about circling the wagons.
Tell me Garth, honestly, I have to wonder if you are finding this if only somewhat amusing at the shitstorm you are creating yet again.
)
Edmonton will be a grand ol’ time, Garth! See you there.
lol Oh Garth, you are one brave man. I tell ya, you are about to go into the lions den, I hope like hell there are at least SOME people with sense that come out to support you.
I am flabbergasted at the robot like voting Alberta churns out. How is it even remotely possible that not a SINGLE liberal, NDP, Green, or otherwise was elected there?
I lived there for several years.
Never again 
Albertans can keep it. I’ll take my beautiful BC any day!
Have fun over there! And good luck!
You’ll need it.
Well, if you think that Stephane Dion is a true leader, then, that’s your opinion.
What I have seen over and over from Mr. Dion, is that he is politically dishonest.
One, Mr. Dion keeps saying that Stephen Harper is really right winger (like George Bush). Yet, his and the Liberal’s friend and special guest, Howard Dean (a US Democrat) can be considered right of Stephen Harper’s ideologies.
Dean does not support national publically funded child care, health care, or pension fund (like our CPP). Dean does not support spending Billions on 3rd world countries. Dean does not advocate the UN. Dean supported and still supports a combat role in Afghanistan. Dean supported and until recently the IRAQ war. Dean does supports closing USA borders (immigration and markets).
If Mr. Dion was a man of integrity and honesty, he would revisit his speeches and write speeches that at least had some truth in them.
BTW: I think Iggy’s choice of a Liberal symbol, the sea gull (or commonly referred to the sh*t hawk) is appropriate. If one has a picnic near the body of waters, one observes that the gulls start to stalk and one by one, the gulls swarm the people for their food. Liberals are really good at swarming the tax payers for more and more taxes with nothing in return.
“Our 16-year-long economic upcycle cannot last indefinitely, and I have written several articles here lately articulating the reasons America is now a hulking danger.”
Ahhh, Garth, did you forget, the tens of thousands of high-tech workers who were laid off between 2000 and 2003? In Ottawa, estimates were 45,000 high tech people were laid off!!! And then we can’t forget the indirect impacts on the local economy.
But, hey, when bashing the Conservatives, let’s not have truth and facts get in the way, eh?
Garth, I am not a economical wizard by any means but I have breathed air for 43 years and even I knew that real estate market was going to have to self correct sooner or later. Well not speaking for all areas as that would be stupid, the market was fueled by super low interest rates vice increased highly paid employment coming to an area. As to the CPC increased spending, goosing inflation and driving up the dollar, how much of that rise in dollar is really caused by the debt in the states, and our very strong economical performance over the last while. The dollar had recovered quite a bit against the greenback long before the budget in Mar (It was March wasn’t it). Your thoughts on this would be appreciated.
PS. Concerning the Autoworkers in Southern Ontario, How much do you think high labour cost and benefits, substandard quality compared to some of the competition and failing to forecast customer demand is a factor in the present adjustment the big three are trying to make
Go get ‘em Garth! Hubby and I wish you a most excellent Western experience. And trust us, you are doing what people expect an MP to do. We will be following your journey with great interest.
Thanks for the facts on just how bad things are south of border. I have no idea what to do with my little investments. I heard on CNN that someone has mentioned that the collaspe of the housing market (Mortages) is more of a threat than the War on Terror to the US of A. Sooooh step aside here Garth, step up PMSH & Co. supporters, and tell me tell us all tell Canadains. What did the CPC tell you to do, and what did they come up with to ensure Canadians ride this wave oops tidal wave of finnacial turmoial that is coming like a gang of gunbusters out without undo stress?
Now your time, spell it out and do not give us that wait for a throne speach crapoal….Garth made some good points, so tell us now, damit I do not want to here a few months from now y’all saying we never knew, how the hell could we have known things would get this bad.
The West is in and it is time for the West the step up to plate with the truth.
Good luck once again Garth, I know you will come home a much better man knowing there are many fine Westerners who have an open mind.
Re: Catherine at 4:46 am
I believe the reference was to the ‘puffin’ not the sky chicken, as called in our neck of the woods. Kindly double check your facts before jumping to the seagull conclusion.
Catherine – give your partisan, live in the past head a shake. Dean wasn’t speaking here on policies – he was speaking about getting grass root supporters. Duh!
Harper likes cats – cats also hide their excrement, cats are lazy (sleep 18 our of 24 hours), cats like to control, cats like to primp and be pampered, and cats kill birds by tormenting and torturing them.
Hey, Catherine what happened in 1920 or 1889, or whatever. Your comments dwelling on the past are tiresome and silly.
Garth – this is not one of your best!
1. “Our 16-year-long economic upcycle cannot last indefinitely”, whatever happened to the downturn in 2001/2002 which was emphasised by 9/11?
2. “Many of the GM guys are Flaherty constituents. I hope he has the guts to have a Town Hall and be accountable.”
While I consider Mr. Flaherty to be incompetant as a Finance Minister, the loss of GM jobs is not his doing. GM has three plants making these trucks, only Oshawa has three shifts, the others two. Oshawa is being scaled back to be the same as the others. If GM really wanted to save money, due to the high CDN dollar, they could have shut down Oshawa and transferred all production to the other plants, increasing them to three shifts.
Secondly, since 85% of the production goes south, it might have made sense in that light also.
3. What’s is the government to do and more to the point do they really need to do anything?
As one auto analyst stated, “the automotive sector in Canada is NOT in difficulty, only GM, Ford and Chrysler.” Honda and Toyota are doing fine, building new plants in the Cambridge area. That’s not to downplay the effects in the traditional auto cities such as Windsor and Oshawa as production moves. But, the market is only so big, so its all about capturing market share.
Sorry Garth, although the New Government needs to be bashed for a lot of reasons, this isn’t one of them.
Actually, there was no post-Nine Eleven, thanks to the flood of money unleashed by the Fed. As for GM and Mr.Flaherty, read my piece again. I did not blame him for this, but I did state his policies will exacerbate the situation. He should have been more cautious. The yellow lights were flashing. — Garth
Why bother with the auto industry. It’s going to be outsourced to India in a decades time anyway – just like I.T. was.
Hey Buddy Can You Spare a Two-Four?
Chicken Little is having a grand-mal seizure. The houses are falling, the houses are falling!
Super Bush and little boy wonder Bernanke quickly mount the money-copter to throw paper at the fire. They have to rescue the poor Goldmans and Grosses. After all, they’ve already lost one of their smaller yachts and there’s rumours that one of the garden staff will have to go.
Flaherty hep me, hep me from the undertoad! I’m stuck into a liquidity morass having run out of beer. Oh woe, my taxes is going up. Why must I always be the ultimate bagholder…the lender of last resort?
Keep going on the income splitting Garth!
I caught a clip of Ignatieff talking about the puffin on CTV – and it was blatantly obvious that he was joking – no sense of humour in this country anymore?
I mean, really, our pathetic MSM dwell on this when Harper is still on his patronage appointments cruise, party funding issues, etc.
We need “real” journalists with an understand of humour – desparately.
Of course, the conservatives limited thinking will dwell on this.
Right on – let’s have a country with no humour – quite a quality of the conservatives isn’t it? They can only laugh when someone is hurting, or laugh a someone’s looks (ah, take a look at Harper folks – not exactly a looker) and he has taxpayers pay for his looks.
Actually, there was no post-Nine Eleven, thanks to the flood of money unleashed by the Fed. As for GM and Mr.Flaherty, read my piece again. I did not blame him for this, but I did state his policies will exacerbate the situation. He should have been more cautious. The yellow lights were flashing. — Garth
I think we’ll have to differ on opinion. The economy was already slowing and markets were already on their way down prior to 9/11. The events of that day only accelerated the fall, and yes, the Fed did inject money after the event to prevent the freefall
“The job cuts announced this week are the worst kind. High-paying, career-oriented, high technology and high-skilled manufacturing positions, which could be a long time – if ever – being replaced. Sad if it’s just the start of something. Sadder still that the damage has been amplified by ministerial incompetence.
Many of the GM guys are Flaherty constituents. I hope he has the guts to have a Town Hall and be accountable.”
Since the cuts at GM have nothing to do with the incompetance of the Finance Minister, then in this case, he cannot be held accountable. That is the implication of your final sentance that he must be accoutable to the GM workers for their lay off.
As I stated, it is only the traditional automakers that are suffering. If you are going to blame Mr. Flaherty for amplifying the negatives of these cuts, then, to be fair, you also have to congratulate him for the amplified benefits of new Toyota and Honda auto plants in Canada, and the new jobs they represent.
In both cases, he has had nothing to do with it. The Canadian people can only buy so many vehicles. The US. people can only buy so many vehicles and that number has dropped due to the US. credit crunch.
The Canadian Dollar was already high before Mr. Flaherty’s spending fling. Yes, the budget has assisted in keeping the dollar from falling, but while we are a resource based nation, and demand is high, the dollar will remain high. I’ve noticed in recent weeks that the dollar falls when the markets perceive an economic slowdown and hence a reduction in the need for natural resources. When those worries disappear, the dollar goes back up.
The people at GM, Ford and Chrysler need to be worried since, for whatever reasons, wrong product, poor cost structure etc., their companies are lossing market share. Its a fact of business competition. Short of the Finance Minister and his collegues putting up protective barriers, there’s not a lot they can do.
And remember all the GM, Ford and Chrysler plants in Canada are subsidiaries of US. companies. Guess which plants would close first if they decided to do a tit-for-tat and became protectionist? We’ve seen it before.
No Garth, you’re barking up the wrong tree on this one!
I totally disagree. There was no 2002 recession, and current government spending is both inflationary and impactful on fiscal and monetary policy as a result. This limits our ability to deal with the current US tide of woe. Face facts — Garth
Garth, why did you delete my comment yesterday on the Alberta Rebel post where I said:
It’s funny how a lot of posters in this forum forget that freedom of speach works both ways.
I did not. — Garth
Ponce de León – the explorer that looked for the fabled Fountain of Youth?
Ahhhh, eternal, never-ending life.
Today we have achieved the noble economic equivalent….eternal, never-ending paper money. What should we call our economic confidence conquistadors?
Ponzi de Bernanke?
Garth . . .Garth . . . Garth. What is to be done. What I hope is that soon we’ll be seeing the end of this neo-con rule of tyranny and going to the polls. How much more tinkering and disassembling can this beautiful country endure. When Stephane Dion proposes to the House that we pull out of the combat mission by 2009, let’s hope the NDP doesn’t side with Harper again like they did last time. Meanwhile look for Harper to be engineering the grand-daddy of all flip-flops on this one.
Garth, I’m happy you came aboard. You’re so refreshing. Good luck in the next election once you take these guys down.
Ad,
Some of my comments came in and then went but it wasn’t Garth doing it. Technical problems is all on either end. Garth may be a lot of things to you guys but I’ve never seen him delete a post unless it is really sick.
Garth,
Make sure and eat at Le Creperie on the Boardwalk in Edmonton.
I read, and heard on the news, about Iggy. He has finally found his true area of expertise…Bird Crap. If I were a Maritimer I would be throwing it at him. What an insult to people’s intellect. Trying to garner votes by praising a silly bird’s doo doo habits.
Can’t Stephane get a babysitter for him on the road trips? The man is beyond belief. It is like having to drag your retarded sibling around just because he is part of the family.
The Liberals have chosen a new symbol: The Puffin. Why? They hide their excrement! What a perfect symbol.
Dell
and current government spending is both inflationary and impactful on fiscal and monetary policy as a result. This limits our ability to deal with the current US tide of woe. Face facts — Garth
I will agree with the first point, but not the second as it relates to Oshawa.
GM’s problems have to do with the slowdown and overcapacity. Regardless of Mr. Faherty’s inflationary budget, Oshawa’s 3rd shift was the one to be cut by GM.
If Mr. Flaherty’s budget had been more “conservative”, would the credit meltdown in the US. have been averted? No.
If Mr. Flaherty’s budget had been more “conservative”, and our flexibilty to cope had not been reduced, would GM have cut production elsewhere? No.
These are the cause of the loss at Oshawa, neither to do with Mr. Flaherty.
Do you ever get bored of flogging the same dead horse Garth? Dion is toast, Harper is here to stay, no one gives a rat’s ass about politics right now….get over it……..
You know, I have been accused in the past of being a Liberal operative by some, yet I have never seen an brown paper bags of cash ~sigh~ So where’s my royalty cheque Garth? LOL, nah, never mind, I just love seeing my photo-hackery being used on other peoples blogs, makes all more worth doing. Hope Mr. Dion gets a chuckle out of it
Zorph
Flaherty will get you nowhere The article toasted, roasted and burned Flaherty to a crisp!
After 12 years of Liberal rule, the naming of ardent right-winger Jim Flaherty as federal finance minister seemed like sweet relief to Bay Street. Wake up, capitalists: Conservative doesn’t mean what it used to be
—–
While on the topic of the economy, or more accurately, the Debt Economy:
But its stock was downgraded to “neutral†from “outperform†by Credit Suisse analyst James Bantis, who said there are “tougher times ahead†for the bank.
It has an excessive reliance on wholesale banking activities, and there are difficult capital markets conditions ahead, Mr. Bantis said. National also has weaker-than-expected trends in consumer banking and wealth management, he said.
—-
Merry Central world banker reaction, “Short of cash, no problem, we’ll just print some more!†The roller coaster ride of fractional reserves backed with hot air is doomed to end. How deep are the wounds from worthless paper that affect economies? From Canadian plant layoffs to banks in China
Jeeze, here’s another Urban Legend, going forward. This seems to be an era of legends and myths and fearmongering.
This can’t be true, eh?
Bush Administration Wants Open Borders
“NAFTA requires all roads in the United States, Mexico and Canada to be opened to carriers from all the three countries.”
Garth’s two main policy proposals, income splitting and tax breaks for income trusts, have the effect of reducing taxes on wealthy people and transferring the burden to working people, including working moms.
First, income trusts: Working moms even with good jobs have children to feed, student loans to repay, and mortgages to pay; many if not most don’t have thousands of extra dollars to invest in income tax schemes, at least not yet. People who work for their money shouldn’t bear an additional tax burden so Garth can give a tax break to his rich, old supporters, but that is what he is proposing. When you decrease taxes on rich investors you increase the tax burden on working people.
Second, income splitting. Consider the following scenario:
heather-jane and Bob are both business analysts at Acme Inc. and make $85,000 a year in the identical job. Bob is married to a stay at home mom, heather-jane is a heroic single mom.
Guess who gets screwed under income splitting? That’s right, the single mom, who pays thousands more in tax than the married guy, despite having the same income.
The same principle applies here: when you decrease the tax burden on one group (married people) you increase the tax burden on other groups (single people).
Simplistic and troubled arguments. I will respond when freed from the digital shackles of my Berry. — Garth
Garth I don’t know if the subject of Afghanistan will come up on your tour but if anyone read this today it might.
http://www.skyreporter.com/
DONOR NATIONS ACQUIESCE TO MASSIVE AFGHAN EMBEZZLEMENT:
At least Adscam got an inquiry.
Pecked to Death by Ducks 9:49 AM:
It should be called Ponzi de Greenspan since it is the continuation of his policies that have led the US to this point.
Look at it this way – The US/China trade deficit is entirely fair because the US gives China fraudulent securities in return for poisoned toys and food.
“The job cuts announced this week are the worst kind. High-paying, career-oriented, high technology and high-skilled manufacturing positions, which could be a long time – if ever – being replaced. Sad if it’s just the start of something. Sadder still that the damage has been amplified by ministerial incompetence.” Garth Turner.
CTV news reports, “The Canadian economy has posted strong growth, rising at a 3.4 per cent pace in the second quarter of 2007, driven largely by consumer and investor spending.”
If you blame GM’s woes on the minister are you going to give him credit for the latest economic growth numbers?
The number announced today is for past economic performance. That’s not what I’m worried about. — Garth
Watching Bush pull himself up by his own bootstraps brings up this shtupid qwuestion….
Who insures the insurers?
The economy is strong, he said…just as strong as the supports for our overpasses & tunnels.
Hey Garth,
What do you mean by digital democracy? Could you write a blog post about it?
Cheers!
The same principle applies here: when you decrease the tax burden on one group (married people) you increase the tax burden on other groups (single people).
Simplistic and troubled arguments. I will respond when freed from the digital shackles of my Berry. — Garth
By Economist on 08.31.07 10:40 am
Garth, one of us woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. Maybe it was I.
But, the argument presented by the Economist is valid, although, as you have shown many times, income splitting solves an unfair tax system as perceived by many others.
It all comes down to the question of the tax system being used for social planning. Should a single parent with a given income pay the same tax, less tax, more tax, than a married couple with the same combined income?
The question that has to be asked is what is fair to everyone? The problem is, as the Economist rightly points out, assuming the government wants the same revenue (or with spend fling Flaherty more) reducing one groups taxes will mean an increase for some other group. As we all know, everyone hates seeing their taxes increase.
Calgary will be a grand ol’ time, too, Garth. See you when you get here!!
I did not. — Garth
Garth, I appologise I was wrong. The thing is, the page search from the browser does not work so i could not find it.
By Economist on 08.31.07 10:40 am
I agree with your take on IT but not income splitting.
Here we define taxation based on individual incomes but the governemnt benefits on familiy income. They should both be based on the same.
Also, on a couple when one does not work, the other spouse already claims a non-refundable tax benefit of around $8,000 (I could be off but it is similar). Why haven’t anybody considered this unfair?
Personally I support a taxation system where taxes are based on family income and there is a non-refundable tax benefit for each family member (dependent children included) regardless of their income. Then kill all the child tax benefits, old and new.
Deeply regrettable …….again
http://newsdurhamregion.com/news/article/85189
Your daily giggle. Bush on Outer Space.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R32XZZtn2S4
THE UNWANTED….you have to admit…more creative than the CRAP site.
http://www.ndp.ca/dirtydozen
“NAFTA requires all roads in the United States, Mexico and Canada to be opened to carriers from all the three countries.â€
By Pecked to death by ducks on 08.31.07 10:37 am
Yes, we do not have enough decrepit, worn out, dangerous, noxious gas emitting, bare tired, no brakes semi’s operating on our 400 highways. Let’s bring in those Mexican transports asap!
NAFTA = Not Another Friggin’ Trade Agreement
SPP= Stop Protecting Prosperity (of Canadians, of course)
NAU = North American UPYOURS!
Acronyms sure do allow less typing, and getting to the real point, eh?
As to the GM layoffs…Well, I worked for the Gasping Mother decades ago, and the megalithic mangement they have sucks the corporation dry.
No pity upon them or their house, but certainly on all the victimized workers.
When will Canada start building its own vehicles by a Canadian owned company?
The Liberals have chosen a new symbol: The Puffin. Why? They hide their excrement! What a perfect symbol.
Dell
BY Dell on 08.31.07 10:17 am
Dell, I guess what your trying to say is that you leave your excrement lying around all over the place. Guess we shouldn’t expect anything less from a supporter of the CRAP party.
Posted carelessly by Catherine:
BTW: I think Iggy’s choice of a Liberal symbol, the sea gull (or commonly referred to the sh*t hawk) is appropriate
Catherine, if you can’t get even the most basic of facts straight, then please don’t post anything. A seagull and a puffin are two very different animals. I’m not saying I think the puffin is a great mascot, but equating it with a seagull is pretty darn far from the truth.
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070830/ignatieff_beaver_070830/20070830?hub=QPeriod
Cheers,
joe
Garth,
You are still doing ‘Berry’ well managing the blog. LOL
Economist, Well there might be a lot to argue about with income splitting and who benefits. The Single Mom example is a red herring, A single mom can designate one of her child as equivalent to spouse for the purpose of income taxes, therefore she could therefore transfer to the child the amount that best benefits that families finical situation even to the point of paying a tax remittance on its behalf if it moves her to a lower tax bracket, The govt doesn’t care who it gets it money from, just so long as it get it.
Well, and I guess this is because of the Liberals……eehhhmm, don’t think so
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070831/economic_growth_070831/20070831?hub=TopStories
Garth – the auto industry is the canary in the coalmine for the unsustainable way we have structured our affairs. Ontario has hitched its economic wagon to an industry that has matured and is facing a future of uncertainty and decline.
It will soon get worse…August sales in the U.S. are projected to be 25% lower then a year ago. Even the best performing automaker, Toyota’s July sales declined 7.3 percent.
I’d rather see us investing in developing a green economy that can keep us working throughout the 21st century than continuing to throw taxpayers’ money at an industry that is resistant to change and whose days are numbered as we move into the post-peak oil future.
The adjustment will no doubt be painful, especially for the CAW, but trying to delay the inevitable is a waste of precious effort and money. The sooner the adjustment happens, the sooner we can be in a better position to develop a stronger, greener, long-term economy.
If you are a taxpayer and have a blood pressure problem, please don’t read this (some rough language)
GARRY “White Lie†BREITKREUZ
(Yorkton—Melville)
“Saskatchewan is certainly not being treated equally through equalization . . . Both Atlantic provinces can now keep their offshore revenues and provide so much more for their residents. Why not a similar agreement for Saskatchewan?”
– Garry Breitkreuz, Hansard, 22 March 2005
OK Saskatchewan can keep all its offshore oil revenue. You asked for it you got it. Your Conservative government delivers.
Garth, Thank you for sharing the differences in the two caucuses, it would appear that with the Cons it was Mr Harper looking down on his followers where as this year it was Mr Dion sitting among his collaegues quite a different picture.
Off topic ,I have just read contrary to what PMSH stated in March of 2006 he is NOT “turning over a new leaf” and is still appointing politicions to plum job witness Pat Binn as ambassador to Ireland.
Digital Democracy….wadya mean?
Well, it’s like sitting down at a full course banquet with strangers and arguing over whether the silverware is positioned correctly on the napkin while some mad, fringe lunatic with his lower extremeties in bloddy tatters tries to catch their attention by politely muttering that there may be a profusion of sharp teethed wolves under the table.
Canary in the Coalmine? Wasn’t there some here quackin about the Caisse de Depot in New Brunswick a few months ago?
Who bailed em out? What got em in trouble?
Tweet, fn tweet!
“I am flabbergasted at the robot like voting Alberta churns out. How is it even remotely possible that not a SINGLE liberal, NDP, Green, or otherwise was elected there?”
I suspect it has something to do with attitudes like the one displayed by this potential Con-didate:
Alberta newcomers told to accept conservatism or leave
CALGARY — A man who wants to run for the Alberta Progressive Conservatives says newcomers to the province must “adapt to our rules and voting patterns†or go back to where they came from.
Craig Chandler, who wants to represent the Calgary riding of Calgary Egmont, says people who have moved to Alberta have told him during his doorknocking campaign that they intend to vote Liberal.
Mr. Chandler says the Conservative culture is what created the boom in Alberta and if people don’t like it, they should leave.
“You came to here to enjoy our economy, our natural beauty and more,†Mr. Chandler wrote in a recent blog.
“This is our home and if you wish to live here, you must adapt to our rules and our voting patterns or leave. Conservatism is our culture. Do not destroy what we have created.â€
You can almost understand why Harper insists on keeping these guys leashed and muzzled. Although I am amused by the notion of Alberta’s financial boom attracting an influx of long-haired, dope-smoking, gay-marrying, left-wing Easterners.
There may be hope for them yet.
By Chris Ariens on 08.31.07 12:47 pm
The Green Party calls such planning a ‘Sustainable Economy’, and I do not hear the other parties speaking of such a wise, and intelligent concept.
We easily have the power to successfully manage all our resources today with the internet and computers. Something we did not have a mere 20 years ago.
Today’s Personal Computers have more power than the old mainframes did.
If we really want to make serious changes, all the tools are in place. But, just like having the proper application program, there is a lack of will to make the changes needed.
Society is still dealing with resource management on a short term profit basis, not a long term, stabilized basis.
Until we demand such proper management for the future we will not solve the problems we have.
That is going to require long range planning, not an attribute of the political set to date.
I’m with John G, this dead horse you guys are flogging will get you nowhere beyond your highly partisan group of voters. So big deal, Harper is a control freak, centralizing power. What was Paul Martin with his inner circle of Earnscliffe consultants ?
How you get there doesn’t matter. It’s the final set of policies that you present to voters at election time that counts. And of course, how those policies are explained, justified and shown to be affordable are critical.
On all those fronts, Dion is way behind where Harper is at.
Marzollini told you guys to show us the beef. Not keep complaining that Harper is the rancher, butcher, chef and waiter.
Political sign language.
Most of our politicans have been trained to accompany their jawboning with the arms out, upturned palm benedictatorial gesture. Harper accompanies this with a flourish adjustment of the cufflinks. (positioning the silverware, or a magician’s diversion?)
It’s really a gesture asking for yet another handout says this New York Times article.
It’s a primate “gimmee gesture”. Do Canadian taxpayers have an equivalent reply? I can just see Catherine and Dell giving the thumbs up
A single mom can designate one of her child as equivalent to spouse for the purpose of income taxes, therefore she could therefore transfer to the child the amount that best benefits that families finical situation even to the point of paying a tax remittance on its behalf if it moves her to a lower tax bracket, – KH
Not yet, I believe that only permits them to claim the spousal allowance.
But your point illustrates the difficulty of the discussion. What are the full details of Garth’s income splitting proposal? Would KH’s assumption be correct that designating a child as a spouse would allow for income to be split, or would it have to be a real spouse?
Details, details, details…. its all in the details.
David Bakody
What did the CPC tell you to do, and what did they come up with to ensure Canadians ride this wave oops tidal wave of finnacial turmoial that is coming like a gang of gunbusters out without undo stress?
The West is in and it is time for the West the step up to plate with the truth.
By David Bakody on 08.31.07 7:35 am
“Now your time, spell it out”
First question, why would you want the CPC to give you financial advice on your `little` investments? It would seem illogical to trust government more than your own initiative wether it be through a financial advisor or own your own.
Did you miss the thread on Cdn trust levels when it came to our federal government?
Spelling it out, the current `financial turmoil` that is affecting your little investment is rooted globally through the current credit crunch that started with the collapse of the US subprime market. Don`t make the mistake that credit crunch means a lack of cash. The latest I looked was about 2 years ago on available cash which globally was set a $4 trillion dollars sitting in cash accounts. With huge flows from globally energy to the recent pull back in markets the total could now easily exceed $10 trillion.
What the credit crunch really means is the consumer starting with the subprime market customer is broke. Over spent, under saved and over mortgaged. Exactly what Garth has been saying in several recent threads.
While the action by the feds of injecting funds to protect the lenders and todays announcements the home owners will receive US government help to hang on to their homes it will not change the basic problem that is causing the credit crunch, the consumer is broke. As I`ve said in a recent post this will spread to the bottom line and this evidence will start coming out in the next few weeks.
Tip; cash is good.
Pecked to Death by … Puffins?
Re. the Iraq swindle, read Greg Palast’s “Armed Madhouse” – the language is clean, the humour devastating, and the truth deadly.
PUFFIN MADNESS
http://www.conservative.ca/
Jennifer:
If you want to talk about that whacko Craig Chandler perhaps you shouldn’t fail to mention that he’s from Ontario.
I think the bigger question should be:
Why does Ontario produce so many crackpots! I think we should use this to paint ALL Ontarians as psychos.
Is the DVP still shut down because of a psycho bomber?
Hey Garth,
You often refer to a “family income tax form”–for something like that to be fair, I think it’s important to expand the notion of “family” and to consider non-conjugal relationships as well. For example, what about 2 brothers who live together, one supporting the other? Or three elderly women, living together, none married to each other, just good friends who take care of each other while ill etc? Households are varied and diverse, providing our government and society the same benefits that married couples do like–freeing up housing units by living together, lowering healthcare costs by providing free support to each other when ill etc. Moving towards legal recognition for non-conjugal unions with the view to letting them benefit like recognized conjugal relationships would be a lot fairer for more people.
Garth:
Well now it appears that none other than “Dubya” himself is making front page news by indicating, he now knows that subprime loans, mortages and interest rates are all tied to the economy big time, and the goverment must act in a possitive manner and not blame people for buying houses when they were thrown at them with approval from the goverment, Now if PMSH does as he usually does, mimic GWB, will our boy Flaherty step to the plate soon or wait? In all fairness I have not read the complete reports nor do I understand it all, but those words “Worst than the War on Terror” are clear in my mind. So fellow posters like it or not we need people in Ottawa who will speak up on the financial future and the present it clear and concise wording here and now. Thanks for your overview Garth, and for all our CPC friends I will give priase to Mr. Funny Bones himself Flaherty if he talks to Canadians with sound positive words of action. So if you are CPC supporter and had made a donation please ask him for a nickles worth of info to share with all Canadains via the Canadian press.
A car parked outside CPC Attack Headquarters.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/131/379112889_caf4ec9305.jpg
Ahhh, Garth, did you forget, the tens of thousands of high-tech workers who were laid off between 2000 and 2003? In Ottawa, estimates were 45,000 high tech people were laid off!!! And then we can’t forget the indirect impacts on the local economy.
But, hey, when bashing the Conservatives, let’s not have truth and facts get in the way, eh?
By Catherine on 08.31.07 5:59 am
So, Catherine, am I correct then in assuming that you believe the Liberal Party of Canada was responsible for the dot com bubble bursting? Please expand on that. This should be interesting (not really, but I would love to see the pretzel logic)
Well wait just a minute now if you are gonna crank up that Flaherty “a little help from the government for the good people” line.
Let me make a few phone calls to the bankster first….I gotta buy meself anudder five houses.
A little factoid heard on Bloomyberg TV this AM – the American stock market will finish higher this month. (Amazing! how did they know?)
?Crisis? What crisis?
Flaherty, needing clarity,
banished a nation of coupon clippers.
Much preferring the economic stability of
house flippers,
market dippers,
and subprime strippers.
Your daily giggle. Bush on Outer Space.
By Greg on 08.31.07 11:35 am
Hilarious Greg. I had the impression that Bush was in a parallel universe, but I stand corrected!
* * * * *
Do you ever get bored of flogging the same dead horse Garth? Dion is toast, Harper is here to stay, no one gives a rat’s ass about politics right now….get over it……..
By John G on 08.31.07 10:19 am
Is there a reason for robots (like this one) to take up space on this planet?
I can’t come up with any, but maybe someone else can!
By Captain George on 08.31.07 2:16 pm
They really need to watch the old war movie with Donald Sutherland (a genuine Canadian, eh) where he plays the tank commander and constantly reminds his driver, Moriarity, to ‘Stop with the negative vibes!’
Sheesh, I think the Marvel Comics website would be more professional…not to mention Mad Magazine?
Buzz and the CAW got hit hard, and rightly so. Finally people are starting to see the CAW for what it really is: a parasitic organization that sucks the life out of any company it unionizes. It’s going to get a lot worse for the CAW before it gets any better. Hopefully the members of the CAW will start to recognize that their union does more damage than good.
Dell
Wow, now here is some really deep thinking, as is typical of Reid
Why does Ontario produce so many crackpots! I think we should use this to paint ALL Ontarians as psychos.
Yes, ALL Ontarians are Crack pots…probably due to the plethora of BC Bud! But, then they come here from Quebec quite often.
Seriously, Go out and smell reality!
BTW, how are the pig farmers out in the Wild, Wild West lately? Find anymore bodies there?
James, I believe that would be the natural extension of the income tax splitting concerning single mom’s or dad’s.
Wild Sweet, interesting proposal, my concern is that there is no tax relief for these communal families today so I could not foresee it changing over income splitting, but being devious, especially with the senior situation if two of the three could legal declare themselves the Dependants of the other one, they might find some tax relief that way. Much the same way as if your elderly widowed mother came to live with you and was declared your Dependant, I have not personally done this but was told it could be done.
Of all the mascots to choose, the Liberals choose one based on how it hides it’s sh*t. Fitting for a party with the legacy of the sponsorship scandal. They better study the Puffin a little better though, the Libs did a terrible job of hiding their sh*t for the thirteen years they were in government.
Dell
Ignatieff was joking. But then you’d miss that, of course. — Garth
NAU = North American UPYOURS!
By Bill-Muskoka on 08.31.07 11:38 am
LMAO! UP YOURS — same response in Monty Python’s ouija sketch!
Charles
‘lol Oh Garth, you are one brave man. I tell ya, you are about to go into the lions den, I hope like hell there are at least SOME people with sense that come out to support you.
I am flabbergasted at the robot like voting Alberta churns out. How is it even remotely possible that not a SINGLE liberal, NDP, Green, or otherwise was elected there?
I lived there for several years.
Never again
Albertans can keep it. I’ll take my beautiful BC any day!
Have fun over there! And good luck!
You’ll need it.
By SJ on 08.31.07 1:57 am’
‘The Liberals have chosen a new symbol: The Puffin. Why? They hide their excrement! What a perfect symbol.
Dell
BY Dell on 08.31.07 10:17 am’
‘Garth, Thank you for sharing the differences in the two caucuses, it would appear that with the Cons it was Mr Harper looking down on his followers where as this year it was Mr Dion sitting among his collaegues quite a different picture.
Off topic ,I have just read contrary to what PMSH stated in March of 2006 he is NOT “turning over a new leaf†and is still appointing politicions to plum job witness Pat Binn as ambassador to Ireland.
By Judy Roberts on 08.31.07 1:06 pm’
To the first comment I quoted, I say of course Garth is brave: my MP only travels to constituents outside of St.John’s either to Announce ‘money raining from the sky’ (in other words, trying to buy voters with their own money!) or when he’s going to Ottawa to serve ‘King Harper.
Dell, as for the second comment I quoted on the puffin, you just don’t get it: the puffin is the official animal of Newfoundland and Labrador. Personally, I think it was Ignatieff’s attempt at trying to woe NL voters!
To Judy Roberts, I say you speak the truth: it’s sad that PMSH had promised a ‘Public Appointments Committee’, which would have the power to ‘vet’ ALL appointments made by the PM. And guess why he didn’t go ahead with it? Because “Steve” (as Bush called PMSH) decided we should only have a ‘Public Accounts Committee’ if his appointment was to be selected and to be paid either a $1 a day or a $1 per year (the guy was a millionaire and didn’t need the money).
But ya, just because Harper didn’t get the guy to head it that he wanted, he said we would only get such a Commission “if he gets a majority govenrment.”
I just thought i’d clear the air on these three posts!
Response to comments By Calgary Junkie on 08.31.07 1:18 pm
“So big deal, Harper is a control freak, centralizing power. What was Paul Martin with his inner circle of Earnscliffe consultants ?”
And what happened to Paul Martin and his inner circle? One might think that emulating Martin, down to having his own Earnscliffe consultant, is not a good idea.
“How you get there doesn’t matter. It’s the final set of policies that you present to voters at election time that counts.”
Certainly the concept of “the ends justify the means” are a main operating principle of the new Conservatives. The willingness of a politician to engage in unethical or illegal means to achieve an end results in accumulated negative baggage.
Once a leader has proven to many voters that the policies were simply a gimmick to get votes, then his creditability takes a serious hit. In the next election voters will be aware of the current Prime Minister’s record of breaking his word. He cannot escape his own record. For that reason, voters are more likely to weight the value of promises made by Harper against those made by the other political leaders which do not have the same record.
“And of course, how those policies are explained, justified and shown to be affordable are critical.”
So far Harper has failed to adequately explained his policies and why it was justifiable to break so many promises. The increasing scandals with regard to party financing, for example, is creating the impression that the Conservatives are no different than the Liberals when it comes to integrity. They have already given the impression that they will go beyond the norms of integrity or even legality to achieve certain objectives.
“On all those fronts, Dion is way behind where Harper is at.”
At this point in time, Dion has not gathered the negative political baggage that Harper has since taking office. That gives Dion an advantage. Harper cannot change his own record on many issues because it will always haunt him.
With the cult of leadership so ingrained in our political system, Dion’s role in the previous government is not nearly as important as the negatives that Harper has amassed since becoming PM.
It is up to the Liberals to come up with a plan that appeals to Canadians and to convince them that they have learned their lesson when it comes to accountability.
It is unlikely that I will vote either Liberal or Conservative but I am a realist. The two establishment parties have the advantages and have been tightening those advantages over the past couple of decades. I don’t see another party emerging as a serious threat to either in the near future because of the systematic disadvantages of third parties. However, those parties play an important role and need to be supported.
By the way, my MP that only goes outside his constituency (other than to go to Ottawa) to announce ‘money raining from the sky’ is Cons MP Loyola Hearn, who is also the Minister of DFO.
But get this, DFO has announced the conversion of four fisheries in Canada from exploratory status to commercial status:
(Quoted from VOCM: a.k.a Voice of the Common Man, an NL-based Radio and Internet Station)
“New Fisheries Announced
August 31, 2007
The province has four new commercial fisheries. Licences will now be issued for the sea urchin dive fishery, the shrimp beam trawl fishery, and the toad and rock crab fisheries. The four species had previously been listed as exploratory.”
Link:http://www.vocm.com/news-info.asp?id=23072
And ya for the DFO release, see this link: http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/media/newsrel/2007/nl-tnl39_e.htm
Oh man, with debate on ‘The New Fisheries Act 2007′ probably to resume in the fall, i’m wondering if this is being done to try to ‘buy off’ rural NLers who’ve lost their jobs over the years (I believe someone once told me 68,000 rural NLers have had to leave NL since the 1992 Cod Monatorium).
So ya, I really hope that we don’t exploit these four newly commercialized species the way we did the cod! (And by that, I mean it’s time for Canada and Europe to stop trying NL’s resources like a ‘fish tank’. So ya, I just hope we learn to fish these species in a matter consistent with sustainable development AND return to sustainable practices on everything from the fishery and beyond!)
“Off topic ,I have just read contrary to what PMSH stated in March of 2006 he is NOT “turning over a new leaf†and is still appointing politicions to plum job witness Pat Binn as ambassador to Ireland.”
“Harper announced the final selection of the board of directors and named former Liberal senator Michael Kirby as the commission’s chairman.”
Bill:
Leave it to you to miss the sarcasm. My post was in response to the there’s-one-crackpot-who-wants-to-run-for-the-Alberta-PCs-so-all-Albertans-and-Conservatives-are-crackposts post that Jennifer Smith made at 1:16.
He’s not indicitive of Albertans or Conservatives. Just like he’s not indicitive of Ontarians. Get it? Or do you need it beat into your head with a 2×4?
Welll, Garth…Mr. Harper sits up front facing the people like a leader should. He is proud to stand up and be counted as a leader. Why would he hid away in the crowd?
The event you just went to sounds like a hippy love-in, or a drop in center for aimless teens. Did ya do a couple of dubies with Dion hiding in those shadows? How can he lead when he refuses to sit up and be noticed as leader? L
I see you have moved to New Brunswick, Leasa. I hope the improved quaity of life and lots of fish will improve your vision. — Garth
The collaspe of the housing market (Mortages)
Regarding Sub Prime Loans and the mortgage disaster, I find Bill Maher’s comment the funniest take to date on this situation:
“Who could have ever imagined that giving mortgages to people with no money could lead to trouble?”
LMAO! UP YOURS — same response in Monty Python’s ouija sketch!
Charles
By Charles Oxley on 08.31.07 3:23 pm
‘And now for something completely different!’ LOL
By Reid on 08.31.07 4:07 pm
Funny, you think you could actually use a 2×4 on moi? I think not. Regardless, I saw no reference to her comment. I may have errored, but then so did you. How about a beer?
Re. the Iraq swindle, read Greg Palast’s “Armed Madhouse†– the language is clean, the humour devastating, and the truth deadly.
By Herb on 08.31.07 2:03 pm
Agreed. Chretien was smart to stay out of the Iraq mess.
Buzz and the CAW got hit hard, and rightly so. Finally people are starting to see the CAW for what it really is: a parasitic organization that sucks the life out of any company it unionizes. It’s going to get a lot worse for the CAW before it gets any better. Hopefully the members of the CAW will start to recognize that their union does more damage than good.
Dell
By Dell on 08.31.07 3:08 pm
One could say the same for any union Dell. It seems our Federal & Provincial, Governments have the same problem with their own unions. Education, Health Care, Postal Services, Liquor Stores, Highway Departments etc. Are unions within the government more deserving than in the private sector? Dell, look at the real facts. How else could we hope to have a fair wage if not for unions? How would you? How would our economy cope if we all had to work for minimum wage? How would the government survive with a whole lot less tax money from minimum wage earners?
Maybe our elected Politicians will finally see themselves for what they really are. A parasitic organization that sucks the life out of every Canadian Citizen. Think about this & have a good day.
All sorts of analysts, media outlets, financial writers, et al have been commenting on the icreasing fragility of the U.S. economy for years: subprimes, expensive real estate, aging population, foreign competition, the deficits, the cost of the Iraq war
None of this was a big secret, nor was the fact that it would impact on Canada and could have an impact for a long time.
The real shocker is the need for you and McCallum to try and explain it to the rest of them. At a time when there’s probably more media access than ever before what the hell is it they don’t get?
“I see you have moved to New Brunswick, Leasa.” (Garth)
Did you take Catherine with you, Leasa?
You can almost understand why Harper insists on keeping these guys leashed and muzzled. Although I am amused by the notion of Alberta’s financial boom attracting an influx of long-haired, dope-smoking, gay-marrying, left-wing Easterners.
There may be hope for them yet.
By Jennifer Smith on 08.31.07 1:16 pm
If you watched the last new Conservative policy convention you would have noticed that Craig Chandler was quite prominent. He has also appeared as a spokesperson for the party on social conservative issues on various television networks.
I have no problem with Chandler exercising his democratic rights even if he is opposed to those rights for others. Progressive Conservative parties rarely refuse membership even to people like Chandler. When he was a member of the federal Progressive Conservative he was an embarrassment but in a democratic party one has to put up with people like Chandler.
Most members considered him a joke. However, but he probably sealed Jim Prentice’s fate by throwing his support to him at the last federal PC leadership convention. It undermined Prentice’s creditability. I think everyone expected Prentice to say “thanks but no thanks” but his silence was deafening.
What bothers me is that Chandler is accepted as a member of the federal Conservative Party and allowed a public role at the same time as large numbers of moderate PCs had their memberships cancelled apparently because they were not right wing enough.
I don’t know that the townhalls would be “hippie love-ins”, however people who choose to go to the events probably don’t represents the population in general. Odds are those who don’t pay any attention to what Garth says, or don’t expect much substance when do go, won’t show up. Sorta like hearing a movie is a flop, then still going to see it
In fairness he does have his followers.
So you will be there then? — Garth
How can he lead when he refuses to sit up and be noticed as leader? L
By Leasa on 08.31.07 4:14 pm
There’s a time and place for everything. Which means sometimes a leader has to sit down, shut up and listen.
The best leaders I have seen in business are those that acknowledge their workforce as being valuable and allow them input.
We don’t see that from PMSH’s one man show.
This blog started with the GM announcement. That’s a good example of how not to run a company, with top down, us and them, management. Take the Japanesse auto companies, which if you haven’t noticed are kicking North America’s butt. The managers wear the same uniform as the people on the line. The people on the line make suggestions and can even stop the line if there is a quality issue without having to call the boss first. Issues are solved as a group of equals, but the managers still set the overall direction.
PMSH management philosophy is comparable to that at GM. Mr. Dion’s, so far, is comparable to that of the Japanesse.
The only thing left for Dion to do is set direction. Maybe he has already and is keeping it close until the next election.
Dion is toast, Harper is here to stay, no one gives a rat’s ass about politics right now….get over it……..
By John G on 08.31.07 10:19 am
Is there a reason for robots (like this one) to take up space on this planet?
I can’t come up with any, but maybe someone else can!
By Charles Oxley on 08.31.07 3:06 pm
Basically, Charles, he has to keep telling himself that or he would be in tears if he had to admit the reality that Harper is nothing but a loser, as a leader but most of all as a human being.
Re: Comments by irene on 08.31.07 5:21 pm
The problem here is not just the CAW but also the promotion of a flawed business theory by corporate executives. The theory is based on the idea that whatever they built could be sold through a good marketing strategy.
The quality of the product and a changing market environment was totally left out of the planning. In fact, the culture was to create a product that would wear out quickly in order to increase sales volume.
It is like politicians who depend on “selling” a political ideology or party rather than on concentrating on good public policy. Voters may listen to the advertising once and try the product but if it is found wanting they won’t buy the next time.
Consumers that once would buy nothing but the big three discovered that other companies were producing better products even if they were a bit more expensive.
Garth,
You say “They may not get that in Ottawa. But I’m sure they’ll eat me up in Edmonton.”
We hope they will in Edmonton, but I must caution you that Edmonton is sometimes called ‘Deadmonton’. Not that those nice folks in Calgary would ever say. I think it was some nasty folks from… Well, that’s hard to say; Canadians are such nice people.
What I want to tell you is that Calgary is the heartland of income trusts. Trusts were invented there almost twenty years ago, and have been used very successfully to buyback 20% of the oil industry from Americans. The big American companies are more interested in the oilfields that produce many thousands of barrels of oil each day. Alberta oilfields are old. Most wells produce less than 50 barrels a day. Income trusts have specialized in coaxing more oil from aging wells. The Alberta government should be especially pleased that income trusts have increased the royalty lifetimes of many wells. It should be, but it’s not. But that’s a provincial story.
All of this is to say that there are many unhappy ex-Tories in Calgary. Garth, you’ll bring hope to Calgary; so, expect a rooting-tooting, clapping and stomping good time. In Edmonton, the folks there will be real Canadian–polite. But if the Eskimos get waxed in both games next week, the folks in Edmonton might not be too happy.
Technically I’m not a “follower”, rather I’m one asking the questions you never answer. I guess I’d be called a critic, as opposed to a “Critic”; you know the ones who do have a mandate to speak on party policy.
Prime Minister launches national Mental Health Commission
New body to improve quality of life for Canadians suffering with mental illness
31 August 2007
Ottawa, Ontario
Most of the posters here will be relieved to see that Mr. Harper does in fact read this blog and has acted. ha ha ha!
I see you have moved to New Brunswick, Leasa. I hope the improved quaity of life and lots of fish will improve your vision. — Garth
Garth dear, you are such a funny, funny boy! Anyway…I don’t have a lot of free time to be a regular on here which is too bad, because this is great fun. So, I haven’t been reading the posts verbatim as most here do. Are you taking your ride out west? Man, there must be some really great countryside to see…on a bike would be great. I wish I had more time for my quad, haven’t been for a ride all summer.
The ride. Most people don’t understand the ride. The noise, the pollution, the danger. They just don’t see it as we do. When on the bike, you live in the moment, you are the moment. You are not who you are. The ride, you live, really live, but not your life. Nothing else exists. You don’t hear. Your heart doesn’t beat the same. You don’t breath the same. Everything is suspended in time. Nothing is the same. There is no yesterday. Tomorrow’s worries are gone. You are not a person of burden. You only feel. You feel what you see. You feel the speed. You feel the tires move. Second, minutes, hours do not exist. Just the ride. Right then, right there. You are not running away from them, you are not running to them…just the ride. They don’t exist for the moment. If you needed to cry, the ride is your time. If you feel joy, the ride makes you soar. For the moment, the moment of the ride, it’s all yours. You don’t exist, just your soul…the ride, oh, the ride.
There Garth, does that explain it?
L
I’m suddenly hot and tingly. — Garth
By pjw on 08.31.07 6:20 pm
Merci beaucoup! Your explanation is spot on!
Charles
This article is right on the money, and harper is going down the same road.
http://rawstory.com//news/2007/Former_Reagan_aide_Brownshirt_Bush_among_0831.html
What I want to tell you is that Calgary is the heartland of income trusts. Trusts were invented there almost twenty years ago, and have been used very successfully to buyback 20% of the oil industry from Americans. The big American companies are more interested in the oilfields that produce many thousands of barrels of oil each day.
I find it quite humorous when I read comments like this. Brent Fullard of CAITI has been playing the nationalist card. So has the Liberal Party, lead by John Maccallum and Garth Turner.
Look, the most despised program in Alberta was the 1980’s NEP. While much of the western opposition focus has been spent on whatever economic cost that may have ensued (debatable, but I’m dealing with that on another blog) one of its primary goals was increasing the Canadian ownership of Canada’s oil and gas industry.
This included very favourable tax write offs to Canadian owned Oil and Gas companies (remember Smiling Jack Gallagher and Dome petroleum and the millions and millions of dollars they were allowed to write off under NEP tax rules because they were a Canadian company? Ever heard of the Beaufort?)
Albertans rejected this, outright. no qualifications.
Look, if the favourable tax regime that existed for ITs for whatever reason was removed, the oil and gas is not going anywhere. it will be produced in the future under differing circumstances. It’s not a lost opportunity. It took millions and millions of years to produce the hydrocarbons.
On the grand scale of things, delaying depleting remaining oil and gas reserves right now, sure, may mean that today’s stock holders may not be able to cash in their good fortune right now, and being rewarded for being at the right place at the right time. One might argue about whether it should be better conserved for future generations.
But let’s not play the nationalist card (hello CAITI). It is so NEP, and reeks of hypocrisy.
By James – Chatham on 08.31.07 5:59 pm
LMAO! Yeah, William J. Deming tried to get Detroit to follow his Quality Assurance program, but they rejected it all in favour of their status quo. Then he took it to Japan, and they grasped the principles wholeheartedly. Deming was an American who saw the reality of the future. The Big Three were not!
So sorry! Asho!
Mirrors, I hear, are forbidden on the GM Executive restrooms.
THE LIBERALS HAVE FLANKED THE EAST, PENETRATED THE WEST, BUT IT APPEARS THAT THERE MAY BE A NEW CRAP STRATEGY.
http://members.shaw.ca/mrayner/rt-wargamer.jpg
By C. B. Innes on 08.31.07 6:21 pm
I agree and I often wonder what Mr. Goodwrench is thinking now that Chrysler has introduced Power Train/Engine warranties for life of the vehicle applicable to original buyers. At least they believe in and are starting to back up their quality. Will GM and Ford follow suit I wonder?
Harper has been a very busy little beaver!
According to the Hill Times: Cabinet committee agendas under tight control of PMO, PCO, say some
A near-absence of “table drops” at Cabinet committee meetings and the new membership of the Harper government’s Cabinet committees are further signs of weakened power among ministers and control over the committee agendas by PMO and PCO, critics say.
Finance Minister Jim Flaherty (Whitby-Oshawa, Ont.) was removed as the chair of the Economic Growth Cabinet Committee in the Prime Minister’s Cabinet shuffle this month, and a source familiar with the government’s Cabinet committees told The Hill Times that the move signifies less independence and control over the committee agenda on the part of Mr. Flaherty and more for the Privy Council Office.
“This is an excellent reflection of Kevin Lynch’s [Clerk of the Privy Council] power. Almost all of the chairs will now accept PCO briefings on the committee agenda without a second thought. Table drops may be a thing of the past,” the source said.
A “table drop,” as it relates to Cabinet committees, is a last-minute, surprise presentation tabled by a member of the committee. The Cabinet minister responsible may not like the presentation that was drafted by his or her department and approved by PCO, and, as a result, “drops” a new or revised version without notifying PCO.
Related article Finance Minister snubbed in Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s shuffle
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I have a bridge to sell anyone that believes Flaherty’s input amounts to more than reading it when it’s finished.
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If I were into conspiracy theories: that is how Britain ruled over its colony! Didn’t matter who was elected because the powerbrokers ran the show from the Privy Council prior to 1931.
Background
Pay attention to the powers of the Governor General in council. Names of Governor General’s who appointed members to it for life, on the recommendation of the Prime Minister.
Governor General’s before 1931 wielded a great deal of power and influence.
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Might Harper be taking a page out of his buddy George W. Bush’s book by concentrating power and expanding the Prime Minister’s authority at the expense of Parliament’s being reduced in favour of the Privy Council as directed by the PMO office?
Hey, Catherine what happened in 1920 or 1889, or whatever. Your comments dwelling on the past are tiresome and silly.
By slg on 08.31.07 7:56 am
Of course, a Liberal is only concerned if he is directly impacted. You know, slg, many of the 45,000 people never fully recovered from their financial losses. So when Garth spouts out about 16-year-long economic upcycle, I was merely pointing out to him that for many it was not seen as an upcycle!
Btw, slg, do this stand for slimy liberal goon?
So, Catherine, am I correct then in assuming that you believe the Liberal Party of Canada was responsible for the dot com bubble bursting? Please expand on that. This should be interesting (not really, but I would love to see the pretzel logic)
By Frank Frink on 08.31.07 2:33 pm
Partially – during the last decade, much of IT started to outsource – possibly due to high corp taxes. Another Liberal policy, which Chretien and Martin did was to eliminate much of the R&D tax benefits; which of course did not encourage IT.
The other reason was the greediness from investors and their investment advisors. Instead of being happy with 6 to 8 percent returns, they wanted more in their returns, which then encouraged riskier and riskier business decisions. God love those blue haired ladies and bald retirees with their Florida winter homes, eh.
Gee, Leasa, if a leader sits up front facing his followers, how in hell can he possibly know what’s coming up behind him?
I would much rather have a leader who is going in the same direction as his supporters, than a leader who stands (or sits) in the way.
Canuck:
I hope your post gets read. I didn’t realize Harper’s changes would give more power to the PCO over the tools the committee chairs would have to work with. This is even more controlling than shutting down meetings when those appearing to testify before the committees may have views contrary to Harper’s and which may harm his causes. The manual he gave to CPC committee chairs on how to disrupt committee meetings did not provide a satisfactory amount of opaque control over democracy I guess. To read that Kevin Lynch, Clerk of the Privy Council, would now be Chair of the Economic Growth Committee really ties up your theory that the P.M. is just trying to concentrate and expand his control at the expense of weakening parliament’s input, i.e. weakening input on agenda by opposition parties. Is this what you are saying? And they say he is not scary!
There is a link that was too long to read right now but I hope I am getting your gist. Thanks for the post.
Canuck:
I meant to say weakening input on agenda by opposition M.P.s on the committees.
Re: comments by Catherine on 08.31.07 9:11 pm
You seem to have a real hatred for people who worked hard all their lives in order to enjoy their last years in retirement. Your comments seem to come from the “angry middle aged man” syndrome whose own failure to prosper as he feels he deserves blames everyone else for his failure.
What makes a person so angry that they wish a life of poverty for people in their declining years?
Conservatives used to believe that people who worked hard and invested their money to look after them during retirement were to be applauded. This is why many traditional conservatives understand that new conservativism is not conservative but a distorted from of traditional liberalism that is evolving towards fascism.
It is no good to be a major promoter of the new Conservative form of “capitalism” in which market freedom extends to the right to misrepresent a product in the marketplace. Just as consumers are refused the necessary information to exercise judgement in food choices, they are denied adequate information decisions with regard to solid investment in a world where complicated systems are used to hide what is going on.
The problem is that the system supports unethical behaviour by putting the rights and freedoms of those who control capital over the protection of society. In the modern world those who control capital are often not those who “own” that capital. Some use that “borrowed” capital well but more and more it has become acceptable for those to control capital to feather their own nests at the expense of both workers, investors, and consumers. Why do you think that CEOs and other executives have seen their wealth and incomes skyrocket while the rest of society is seeing theirs stagnate and decline?
Your hatred is misplaced.
Catherine,
is it neo-Con policy that the victim must be blamed, or mere cognitive dissonance? On this thread we have seen unions and workers being made responsible for the loss of union jobs (Dell, 3:08 PM yesterday), and now you blame investors (with a nod to their advisers) for the collapse of the tech bubble.
Yep, greed is bad – in other people. Good thing that good corporate citizens act only pursuant to the legal imperative to make money for shareholders. No possibility of greed, much less blame, here.
Cathy,
Just wondering how you sleep at night?
Geo
Just wondering how you sleep at night?
Geo
By Georgine on 09.01.07 2:11 pm
Special Blue Kool-Aide most likely!
Catherine,
is it neo-Con policy that the victim must be blamed, or mere cognitive dissonance? On this thread we have seen unions and workers being made responsible for the loss of union jobs (Dell, 3:08 PM yesterday), and now you blame investors (with a nod to their advisers) for the collapse of the tech bubble.
Yep, greed is bad – in other people. Good thing that good corporate citizens act only pursuant to the legal imperative to make money for shareholders. No possibility of greed, much less blame, here.
By Herb on 09.01.07 8:51 am
So the fact Nortel didn’t fair out well while Cisco (their natural competitors) did, had nothing to do with bad business decisions by John Roth and Frank Dunn (the execs, who brought Nortel down), eh? John Roth and Frank Dunn did some creative accounting to boost the revenues, so that shareholders could get their precious dividends!
Hey, don’t get me wrong, I think if a company treats their emps well, and encourages an environment to develop products, while at the same time not pulling the wool over their finances (to greedy investors), I think we should all support them.
BTW:I am sure that you had read/heard the recent news about hedge fund managers. Their salaries are only 657 Million dollars – poor darlings. Now tell me that these type of people are sucking the life out of our economy and productivity.
BTW2: The seniors who are struggling are being ignored by Garth and el; because many of them DO NOT have ITs or Million dollar RIFs to live on. Many (probably the majority of seniors) had their CPP, OAS, and maybe a small company pension (if they’re fortunate enough). Many of them live on about less than 20,000 a year. You don’t see Garth and el moving towards some helfy increases in OAS for them (or a special benefit to offset their property taxes or utils), now do you?
He’s more concerned with his Bay Street boys, who are not raking in their huge bonuses, selling their ITs.
Here is the link to the story about the Hedge Fund managers, if you missed it.
http://www.kansascity.com/business/story/251396.html
Just wondering how you sleep at night?
Geo
By Georgine on 09.01.07 2:11 pm
Special Blue Kool-Aide most likely!
By Bill-Muskoka on 09.01.07 4:57 pm
Well after a wonderfull evening with those good ole boys, drinking some special blue kool-aid, we drag our knuckles (of course women are bare foot and pregnant) back to our respective caves, dust off our stone beds, blow our candles out and cover up with some bear skins.
But, we are happy bunch, knowing that we can look in the mirror and not feel disgusted or remorse selling out our souls.
And yourselves? You smell some “sweet” smelling odour when you lay yourselves down to sleep?
Catherine,
if you straighten out the order of carts and horses, we’ll mke a lefty of you yet.
Do you think that a hedge fund manager makig zillions, or an Ebbers, Roth or whoever, makes his moves to add pennies to the dividends of your blue-haired ladies, or rather to add a few more millions in bonuses, stock options or share value to his own account?
Personally, I find the economic myth that someone feathering his own nest spreads wealth and joy all around, as believable as Santa Claus. And I’m developing doubts about him.
As to Garth ignoring seniors and looking after “the Bay Street boys”, I was at his income-splitting conference last January and might even profit from his work repeat his work on pension-splitting. You’re whistling Dixie, Catherine. Have another go.
Catherine,
if you straighten out the order of carts and horses, we’ll mke a lefty of you yet.
Do you think that a hedge fund manager makig zillions, or an Ebbers, Roth or whoever, makes his moves to add pennies to the dividends of your blue-haired ladies, or rather to add a few more millions in bonuses, stock options or share value to his own account?
Personally, I find the economic myth that someone feathering his own nest spreads wealth and joy all around, as believable as Santa Claus. And I’m developing doubts about him.
As to Garth ignoring seniors and looking after “the Bay Street boysâ€, I was at his income-splitting conference last January and might even profit from his work repeat his work on pension-splitting. You’re whistling Dixie, Catherine. Have another go.
By Herb on 09.01.07 10:27 pm
I am not a lefty or righty. I want our Canada:
- to be fair to all Canadians,
- to inspire and foster economic growth for our future generations,
- to allow people to make their own decisions (good or bad),
- to allow people to look after themselves,
- to look after those who cannot,
- to protect us from criminals,
- to stop being a nanny state, “a big brother”
- to use our hard earned tax dollars wisely
- to stop protecting CEOs and CFOs and any others who bleed us dry
- to stop this nonsence about buying credits from China and India, who pollute to their hearts content
- to stop the “you are not Canadian if you don’t think like me”
It’s a high order, but, you would think with the brains that we have in our public offices, that these can be accomplished.
Catherine, (By Catherine on 09.02.07 9:07 pm)
You make some really good point but others need some clarification.
“I want our Canada:
- to be fair to all Canadians,”
The new government, and others before it, has on the one hand adopted a “one size fits all” for some and a whole range of “side deals” for others. It is extremely difficult for any government to be “fair to all Canadians” in a country as large and diverse as Canada. What is seen as “fair” in one part of the country is seen as “unfair” in another. A good example is the new Conservatives definition of “side deals” in which the meaning is selectively applied.
“- to inspire and foster economic growth for our future generations,”
This relates to the first concept. Government do not have unlimited resources. By adopting policies to inspire and foster economic growth in one region they can, and often do, destroy the growth in another. These kinds of policies can easily be seen as “unfair.”
“- to allow people to make their own decisions (good or bad),”
When government plays a strong role in economic development or tax policies they remove the ability of people to make informed decisions. The government flip-flop that made that a poor investment. Governments are always making “winners and losers.”
“- to allow people to look after themselves,”
Again this point relates to the one above. People cannot look after themselves if government is going to interfere with that ability on an ad hoc basis.
One of the reasons I believe the government interfered with income trusts was because it was perceived that it gave a certain advantage to a certain kind of business model in attracting investment. That model helped smaller companies survive in the battle for access to capital. The larger companies wanted that capital for themselves. The government allowed itself to be blackmailed by the large companies into putting their wants first and foremost no matter what the consequences for others. This creates the perception of a government that is “head waiter” to big capital.
The elimination of income trusts has helped the big companies and has increased consolidation of wealth into the hands of fewer individuals and foreign capitalists.
“- to look after those who cannot,”
Who qualifies here? As we have seen above government actions and policies often makes it impossible for people to care for themselves. Does government have an obligation to those people?
“- to protect us from criminals,”
No one whould disagree here as long as the system is fair. That is something that is questionable.
“- to stop being a nanny state, ‘a big brother’”
There is a big difference between what is called the nanny state in which government is involved (some would say over-involved) in nurturing the population (providing health care and education, concern with regulations to protect society, and so on) and the “big brother” state in which social controls of all kinds are enforced through the coercive power of the state.
“- to use our hard earned tax dollars wisely”
I doubt if anyone would have a problem with this one. There may be some debate over what is a wise use of tax dollars. Some believe that the War in Afghanistan is an unwise use of our tax dollars and others believe it is an unwise use.
“- to stop protecting CEOs and CFOs and any others who bleed us dry”
This is another point on which most of us would agree. However, there would probably be a major disagreement over what it means to “bleed us dry” in a world operating on the assumption that concentration of wealth is a good thing.
“- to stop this nonsence about buying credits from China and India, who pollute to their hearts content”
You could extend this to a system in which allows certain segments of our own economy pollute to their hearts content by buying credits. They can use the “free market” to set prices thereby soaking consumers rather than investing in new technologies to lower their own environmental imprint.
“- to stop the ‘you are not Canadian if you don’t think like me’”
Agreed. However, there is nothing wrong with debating what it means to be a Canadian.
“It’s a high order, but, you would think with the brains that we have in our public offices, that these can be accomplished.”
One of the things that we need to discuss is acculturization and why it can cause a deadening of the brain but that is for another time.
Catherine,
late response due to absence -
Your 09.02 9:07 PM post is a good wish list for a model of government not restrained by indebtedness to a financial or electoral power base, ideology, or responsiveness to particular interests.
All of it could be achieved by any government of Canada (or anyplace else) that acted only as required in the given circumstances, without fear of or favour to anyone. The closest we may have come is during WWII, when the national issue of fighting a major war overrode other domestic, partisan and personal issues.
The only way we will get close to it again is if we can convice politicians that this is what we want, and force them to give it to us. Realistically, I can’t see any other way than incremental improvements brought about through “revolving” governments until they are conditioned to deliver.
The closest we may have come is during WWII, when the national issue of fighting a major war overrode other domestic, partisan and personal issues.
By Herb on 09.04.07 8:06 am
I would argue against this position. C. D. Howe structured the economy during the war in such a way as to centralize production. It was a huge boon to central Canada by drawing both government money and private capital to central Canada.
The process augmented centralization and was based on a version of the theory of trickle down economics: if government fueled development in one part of the country everyone would benefit (although unequally). The result was that it created an economic structure that ensured that some regions would not benefit as much as the center.
The Liberals benefited from the implementation of that theory becoming the Ontario and Quebec party rather than a true national party.
The new Conservative strategy is to use the money from Albertas oil and gas development to buy Quebec voters and divide the country on new fault lines.
Comparing the Canadian and U.S. governments as to education level, so-called brains (which hopefully is not mere knowledge, but wisdom) I take our Canadian government hands down, no contest.
Now, let’s do even better!
C.B.,
I am not qualified to argue the specifics of the economics involved, but do suggest that the centralization of economic power and entrenchment of the Liberal Party were not planned government actions.
Since manpower and manufacturing infrastructure were concentrated in the former Upper and Lower Canadas due to the historical development of the country, it only made sense to pursue war production there. I am not sure of the importance of regional development as a factor in wartime planning. Trickle-down or not, the government’s prosecution of WWII sure ended the Depression, didn’t it. Which also could account for the predominance of the Liberal Party after the war.
I also would not go so far as to suggest that a CPC aim is to divide the country. That could be an unintended consequence of our political realities and the distribution of seats, without being a deliberate aim or strategy.
()
By Herb on 09.04.07 6:00 pm
The centralization of the economy during WWII was mostly due to transportation availability via the Great Lakes, and the abundance of Taconite Iron Ore in in the Missabi Range of Northern Minnesota.
Remember the American Midwest has long been the traditional Rust Belt, and with that came a natural location of heavy industry and manufacturing.
The rail and seas transport facilities were of very major concern during wartime. Inland, and safe, but readily accessible to the Atlantic. Not to mention the local availability of massive coal deposits needed for steel making and power generation.
Muskoka,
no quarrel about the importance of the Mid-West to the US war effort, but we don’t have to go south of the border to explain the concentration of economic power in ON and QC.
My disagreement with C.B. is whether the disparity between the economic center and the ROC was due to a deliberate fostering of regional disparity, or an unintended consequence of the prosecution of a higher aim, the war program. Ditto for the fortunes of the Liberal Party.